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Friday, 20 April 2012

Collectors’ vision for art

WITH almost six years of making the public to appreciate art for
its various uses, Visual Arts Society of Nigeria (VASON) is now in a measure
boosting collection.

In the Society’s on-going show at the
Freedom Park Gallery and Museum, works on display, mostly donated by members
and non-members who are artists, showed commitment to the vision of VASON.

From Kunle Adeyemi’s mystic-like
mixed media to the representational piece by Olu Ajayi, Onadipe Olumide, Nobert
Okpu and Bunmi Lakasi, the show had quite a rich gathering of artists.

Painter, Bunmi Lasaki's Abe Olumo

However, information materials on the
event released earlier didn’t include the theme. Perhaps, there was an
omission. “Not exactly,” executive secretary of VASON Ekpo Udo Udoma states
while taking his guest through the show.

The event, he explains, is a
special one and art sale.Why art
sale for a group that is expected to be collecting more works, for keep?

“It’s part of the activities lined up by
VASON to raise funds for the proposed VASON Museum/ Art Centre,” he informs.

Udoma discloses, “works for the
show, will not in anyway deplete the vast collection of VASON, as some of them
are actually donations from artists and collectors.”

In fact, the group has the burden
of space to have its work on permanent and temporary displays: a gallery of its
own. Setting up a gallery, however, appears to be the ultimate aim.

The show, Udoma notes, gives the public
opportunity to contribute to the growth of the Nigerian visual art.

Last year, the vision to spread
the message of art appreciation took another dimension when VASON brought
stakeholders together to discuss the national gallery question.

Udoma recalls that at that gathering,
emphasis was placed on the fact that, apart from government agencies, works of
masters cannot be seen elsewhere. It has also been noted that private
sector-led initiative would construct a purpose-built edifice for artists to
showcase their works.

SINCE it’s
formal entry into the art community in 2007, there has never been a dull
moment. VASON’s maiden event was the sponsorship of a show that had works by
Larry Isimah, in collaboration with Nkem Gallery, Lekki, Lagos. Also, in
October 2007, it supported Abiodun Kafaru in a show titled My Environment.

Despite the elitist
characteristic in art and its patrons, VASON, surprisingly supported the group,
ArtZero, which promotes Art on the Mainland.

In the commitment to ensure that
the public shares in the vast collection of individual members, founding
members such as Olagbaju, Shyllon and Odimayo had organised shows. For
Olagbaju, Chairman VASON Board of Trustees, it was exhibiting, My Habits, in 2008, when about 40 works
in his collection were on display at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

Founded in 2006 by some of
Nigeria’s leading art collectors, which includes Sammy Olagbaju, Prince Yemisi
Shyllon, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, Chief Frank Okonta and Omooba Olasehinde
Odimayo, Udoma says VASON’s goals are to promote the appreciation and enjoyment
of visual arts, within and outside Nigeria as well as the African continent.

Art education, he argues, is the
bedrock of appreciating art. This, the organisation is ready to take to
schools, as well as helping in the modernisation of the non-creative aspects of
professional practice of visual arts in Nigeria.